Thiruvananthapuram: Members of the CPM-affiliated Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest against Kerala Transport Minister K B Ganeshkumar in front of the Secretariat on Wednesday, denouncing the newly introduced driving test reforms.
President of the Driving School Workers Union (CITU) and former MLA K K Divakaran said the strike would be held in three phases and the minister would be blocked on the road in the third phase.
"Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar perceives workers and driving schools as his enemies. This is the Left Democratic Front government. He should remember that he is a minister in the Left government. Look at the things he has done in this short span," he said. (Ganesh was inducted into the ministry in the latest round of expansion in December 2023).
"The circular issued on February 21 should be withdrawn. Once that circular is implemented, driving schools will become scarce. There are no masters here. Most of the owners of driving schools are also employees of the institute. The circular challenges them.” (After facing severe backlash, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ordered a halt on the driving test reforms last week.)
“Officials say that they are merely executing the Transport Minister's command. The minister need to be reined in. The workers are perfectly capable of keeping him in check,” Divakaran added.
"This is the first phase of the struggle. In the second phase, a march will be held at the Transport Minister's house on April 3. He has no right to rest comfortably at home. We want our voice to be heard. If it is not heard from the front of the Secretariat, we'll march to his residence. The third phase of the strike will involve blocking the minister on the road. Though he is a Transport Minister, he has no right to commute so much," said Divakaran.
